Stretching out double or multiple electric arcs.



F. H. A. WIELGOLASKI. STRE-TCHING OUT DOUBLE 0R MULTIPLE ELECTRIC ARCS.

r H APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28,1916. N 1,7 80 Patented Dec. 1, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. H. A. WIELGOLASKI.

STRETCHING OUT DOUBLE 0R MULTIPLE ELECTRIC ARCS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2a, 1916.

1,287,808. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

luv :2 ntm r: F HAWielgnlnski by \filtnrney aski HILL 5- I nv F. H. A.WIELGULASKI.

STRETCHING our DOUBLE 0R MULTIPLE ELECTRIC ARCS.

APPLICATION HLED SEPTLZB, 1916. 1,287,808. Patented Dec. L 3 SHEETS- Seninr' g ml by M- Attu'r'ney MMH UL I HU L E H.A.Wi

a L S K L L L M L L H L L LWM ILH IL I FRANS HENBIK AUBERT WIELGOLASKI,OF CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY.

STBETCHING OUT DOUBLE 0B MULTIPLE ELECTRIC ARCS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed September 28, 1916. Serial No. 122,624.

To all whom it may concern Be it blown that I, FRANs HENRIK AUBERTWIELGOLASKI, a subject of the King of Norway, residing at Odins gate 1,Christiania, in the Kingdom of Norway, have invented certain newanduseful Improvements in Stretching Out Double or Multiple Electric Arcs,of which the following is a specification.

It is a well-known fact, that highly heated and electrically ionized airand other gases are comparatively good electric conductors, whereas coldgases oppose a high resistance to the electric current. To thiscircumstance is due the result that under ordinary conditions it isextremely diflicult to stretch out long electric arcs into doubleshape,because the air between the legs of the arc becomes highly heated andionized and thereby becomes also so good an electric conductor that theelectric energy may relatively easily strike from one are leg to theother.

The present invention relates to a method and appertaining arrangements,which not only par 86 constitute an independent arcextension-methodbutwhich also will assist the extension or elongation of the are to a highdegree, when used in combination with other arc-extending means, such asmagnetic extension or the like.

The present method consists in this that on the whole length of the arcpath the comparatively cold and electrically bad conducting gases areblown in across through the space between the arc legs from openings orslots, which for this purpose are arranged on the whole length of thefurnace space. Hereby it is indiiferent whether the furnace walls are ofelectrically conducting material or not, or whether any conductor isarranged in or along the furnace wall, for here the extension iseffected quite independent of such sort of auxiliary means and itdepends only upon the movement of the gases proper and the distributionof their electric conductivity.

The movement of the gases along the arc legs in the direction toward theend wall of the furnace space which is provided with the gas outletopening, will tend to extend the arc legs longitudinally, and the badlyelectrically conducting gases, which in the said manner are blown intothe whole space between the arc legs, will only prevent the arc bightfrom withdrawing itself toward 4 the electrodes, but these badlyconducting gases, on account of their movement toward the outletopening, will also force the are bight toward the end of the furnacespace (the gas outlet end) which is opposite to the electrodes. At thisend of the furnace space the are bight may be fixed by making contactwith an electrically conducting connection, which replaces the arc bightproper and divides the arc into two series-connected stable arcs or, incase of polyphase arcs, into a plurality of stable arcs each representing one phase.

The circumstance that the arc during its extension must always pass withits bight through the badly conducting gas portion, whereas it is sparedfrom doing so, as soon as the arc is fixed and becomes stable, willresult in stabilizing the arc to a high degree because thereby theresistance in the are becomes less at the moment at which the are hasobtained its final shape.

In the accompanying drawings the Figures l to 3 illustrate examples ofconstructional arrangements for carrying out the method explained above.Fig. 4 is a section of the furnace represented in Figs. 1 and 1*, takenat the electrode end of the furnace. Fig. 5 is an elevation of thefurnace shown in Figs. 1, 1 and 4, the path of the gases in the furnacebeing represented by dotted arrows and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal crosssection of the furnace taken on the plane 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show sectional views of furnace spaces intended forextending or stretching out double and triple arcs respectively. Thesesections will be the same at any place throughout the length of thefurnace space.

It is seen that the furnace space has a compartment for each arc leg S,and these compartments are on the whole length of the furnace space inconnection with each other through slots p-p. These slots serve aspassages for the arc bight during the extending operation.

The arrows indicate how the gases pass into the furnace space throughthe openings a, b and -cin such a manner that the arc legs are alwaysheld separated by the just incoming comparatively cold and badlyconducting gases, with which the slots 19- are always filled.

ig. 1 shows a furnace space with gas inlet from only one side, in whichthe incoming gases are divided against the cam k arranged on theopposite furnace wall, so that the gas current is distributed to bothcompartments.

Fig. 2 show-s a furnace space, in which the gases pass in from bothsides and pass by each other into either compartment.

Fig. 3 shows how the gas inlet is best arranged in a three-phase furnaceWith three are legs, one for each phase.

Figs. 1*, 2 and 3 illustrate in sections across the furnace how anelectric (for instance water-cooled) conductor hmay be arranged in theslot ;0, pbetween the furnace compartments; the said conductor is bestintroduced through that of the furnace end-walls, in which theelectrodes are mounted, the conductor being arranged between theelectrodes and extends within the said slot in longitudinal direction ofthe furnace so far toward theother end ofthe furnace as it may be foundto be necessary, or suitable in each case. Besides there is nothing toprevent this conductor (auxiliary electrode) from being inserted fromthe gas outlet end of the furnace into the said slot toward theelectrode end of the furnace.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, a current of air isintroduced at f, and the air exit is at the top, or opposite end of thefurnace (not shown). The are is initially struck between the electrodes8, and by means of the air current introduced at f (assisted if desiredby magnets placed above the furnace) is elongated, and the-current ofcold air being introduced -at a forms a wall between the legs of thearc, and by the circular course of this wall of cold air, as illustratedin Fig. 4, the legs of the are are constantly wrapped in a cold layer ofair, moving transversely to the length of the legs of said are.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 2, 3, 2 and 3*, there are always twolayers of cold air moving in opposite directions, each transversely tothe length of the leg of the are, between the difi'erent legs of thearc.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A process of maintaining elongated bent arcs, which comprises thestep of blowing into the chamber surrounding the arc, a current of coldair surrounding the legs of the bight of such arc, whereby in a Umes/see shaped arc, the resistance is lower near the center of thefurnace space, and the tendency of the arc to shorten itself ismaterially decreased.

2. In the electric-arc treatment of air by an elongated bent arc, thestep' of blowing into the furnace around the legs of the are atangentially introduced current of cold air, throughout substantiallythe entire length of the desired path of said are, whereby theconstantly-renewed wall of cold air forms an insulation againstshort-circuiting of the arc.

3. In a plural-compartment arc furnace, arcing electrodes at one endlocated in the separate compartments, tangential air inlet slots to thecompartments, said slots extending lengthwise of the furnace forwrapping thelegs of the electric arc in a constantly renewed layer ofcold air capable of acting as an insulator.

l. In a plural-compartment arc furnace, arcing electrodes at one endlocated in the separate compartments, tangential air inlet slots to thecompartments, said slots extending lengthwise of the furnace forwrapping the legs of the electric arc in a constantly renewed layer ofcold air capable of acting as sin-insulator, and an auxiliary electrodemounted in a slot connecting the several compartments of the furnace,and independent of the slot for introducing the cold air.

In the electric treatment of gases by long bent arcs, the step ofmaintaining, bea tween the bends of the arcs, insulating walls oftransversely moving cold gases to pre-- vent short-circuiting of the areupon itself.

6. In the arc treatment of gases with bent I arcs, the step ofpreventing short-circuiting of the arcs by separating the legs thereof,by a plurality of walls of cold gases moving in opposite directions toeach other, helically-tangentially around the arc bight and transverselythereto, whereby the legs are each insulated from the other leg or legsby two oppositely moving cold insulating walls of gas.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANS HENRIK AUBERT WIELGOLASKI.

Witnesses Axnr. LAHN, Moenns Bnocn.

